


Monochrome Prison, Colorful Freedom

by SinsOfAnImmortal (MistressLuna)



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Ancient Races, Desert, How doth one write Rhaast, Ionia - Freeform, Kayn makes questionable choices, Language Barrier, M/M, Magical BS, Mentions of Character Death, Oh well I tried, Probably Shurima, Resolved Language Barrier, Syndra ships it, Zed is so done with everything, au-ish, mentions of dead bodies, sand
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-18
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2019-08-03 18:31:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16331327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistressLuna/pseuds/SinsOfAnImmortal
Summary: Rhaast was whining again, Kayn wasn’t paying the scythe any attention but he knew it was about how he was wasting time chasing after stupid butterflies or whatever gut feeling that will lead them to nothing like the last twenty times. Rhaast had no patience, well neither did Kayn but he was nothing if not determined to find whatever it was that was just tugging at him. He knew there was something, he just had to find it.





	1. Chapter 1

_ "For your crimes and your sins your punishment shall be banishment from the cycle." The cycle? That means they'll just lock me away in some cave or crevice where I won't be found to rot for eternity while everything around me shifts, changes and continues its rebirth cycle. The wolf would be kinder but of course that isn't an option for me. If I were to be removed from the cycle via the wolf then it would fall apart because I wouldn’t exist in the cycle anymore. If you removed an important cog from a machine that wouldn't work either. _

 

_ And so, for thousands of cycles I was sealed away into a spring that no one could detect on the edge of west Ionia. Forgotten. Feeling but not seeing the rebirth over and over and over again. The spring was the only thing unnatural, untouched and will remain so for the rest of my forgotten existence. Or so I thought… _

* * *

 

Rhaast was whining again, Kayn wasn’t paying the scythe any attention but he knew it was about how he was wasting time chasing after stupid butterflies or whatever gut feeling that will lead them to nothing like the last twenty times. Rhaast had no patience, well neither did Kayn but he was nothing if not determined to find whatever it was that was just tugging at him. He knew there was something, he just had to find it.

 

Kayn kept on walking, following that fleeting tug at what he would almost label as his soul. While on a good day Kayn would ignore this feeling he just didn’t want to. He wanted to know what it was, why it was there, why him.

 

The tug was become stronger but so was the urge to turn back and forget all about everything. Neither were normal, neither were Kayn’s. It just made him want to surge forward more and put an end to this. Suddenly he felt himself collide with something but he couldn’t see anything physical in front of himself. Even Rhaast had gone silent upon collision.

 

“A barrier?” Kayn questioned with narrowed eyes. “Strong and old.” Rhaast answered. “No, I’d reckon it is ancient.” Rhaast’s eye seemed to look over something Kayn couldn’t really see. “But old.” He cackled out, “It’s got plenty of holes in it, pick one and strike boy.”

 

Despite Kayn’s best efforts to not let it happen his lips twitched up into a grin as he raised the scythe and focused on the energy that had tugged him here before. There, it was strongest there. He didn’t hesitate, he struck and the barrier shattered.

 

It could be said that Kayn didn’t account for one specific thing, the force blast of the barrier shattering. He would never admit to the fact that it had knocked him out for a little while. He came to a very unimpressed scythe eyeing him from above.

 

“Oh good. You finally decided to wake up.” Rhaast said in a bored tone. “If I had known that would have knocked you out-” “Shut up Rhaast.” Rhaast snorted but thankfully stayed quiet. Kayn picked himself up off the ground before snatching the hovering scythe.

 

Kayn checked himself over for any serious injuries and didn’t find anything so he set his sights on where the barrier once was. Now instead of a seemingly never ending treeline there was a small… What seemed to be a small spring? He’ll stick with spring. He walked closer to it and upon closer inspection he could see that the water was completely black.

 

“Is there anything you want to tell me Rhaast?” Kayn questioned the scythe warily and after a couple seconds of consideration on the black spring Rhaast answered with a flat but almost honest “No.”

 

This was such a bad idea. He was full of bad ideas, that’s practically how he got Rhaast. Kayn genuinely doubted things could get any worse for him. So despite any normal person's judgement of getting the hell out of there he decided it would be a great idea for him to kneel down near the spring and instead slowly stick his hand in.

 

Kayn didn’t expect to get pulled into the spring, he really didn’t but he should have. He didn’t even get the chance to take a breath to hold. It seemed he didn’t need to. Nothing was invading his lungs he was just able to… Breathe. The mass he was enclosed in felt like water but more thick, maybe almost slimy.

 

“There you go again with your stupid decisions.” Kayn had completely forgotten about Rhaast. “Do not start.” He replied to Rhaast. “We’ll get out of this and everything will be fine.” he continued and started propelling himself with Rhaast in the direction that he assumed was up.

 

It took them a lot less time to break to the surface than Kayn thought it would. He opened his mouth with an ‘I told you so.’ on the tip of his tongue before he realised he was not where he started. Everything around him looked to have been painted in monochrome the trees, the wildlife, the sky, the clouds, even the sun.

 

There was an unnatural stillness to everything. There was no breeze, no cold, no warmth, no noise, no movement. He had never seen Ionia’s forest look so dead before. With everything so still he felt like he had gone deaf, he couldn’t hear anything. The splash that came a second after that thought was as unexpected as it was appreciated. He turned to his right in the thick substance he was still floating in only to have his breath hitch at the sight that met his eyes.

 

Laying on the monochrome grass with their legs dipped into the spring was a man with a fairly pale complexion, a black haori kimono with gold and white cranes and brown waist length hair. The man looked fairly short, shorter than himself. That wasn’t what stood out the most to Kayn though, his ears weren’t round at the top instead they were longer and sharper. Like an elf’s in kids books. The eyes of the man suddenly revealed themselves and he felt himself freeze completely and utterly. He was sure he wasn’t even breathing.

 

The gold eyes of the man were boring into him as if he questioned Kayn’s existence. The man sat up and in doing so whatever was choking had dissipated Kayn. He couldn’t help but gasp for air, for the first time since he had been pulled in he needed air.

 

When the man’s eyes met his again the feeling didn’t return and Kayn was grateful for that. The first time it happened was not pleasant at all and he’d rather not have a repeat. When the man opened his mouth and all that came out was garble, at least to Kayn’s ears, he felt just a tad confused. He had never heard of a language like that.

 

“I can’t understand you.” Kayn said as he finally pulled himself out of the ‘water’ just out of reach of the man. He saw the man’s brows furrow but a couple of seconds later his expression seemed to even out. The man scooted closer and waited for his reaction, when Kayn did nothing but warily observe the man he scooted close enough for their faces to be just a couple of inches apart.

 

It seemed like he was observing something in Kayn’s eyes. Just as he was about to pull back to create some distance hands softly cupped his face and pulled him in. The man was… He was kissing him.

 

Before Kayn could react to the soft lips that had claimed his own the man moved back. He could see an amused twinkle in the man’s eyes as he stared at his gawking state. The only thing that managed to jerk Kayn back to himself was Rhaast suddenly bursting into laughter. He snapped his mouth shut and scowled.

 

“Don’t go suddenly kissing people!” Kayn practically snarled. Was this some kind of joke? Was he being toyed with? He could feel Rhaast radiating amusement in his grip.

 

“Is that not how your people learn other languages?” The man answered calmly. What he said threw Kayn for a loop. It sounded ridiculous but he felt like he couldn’t rule it out as moments ago he couldn’t understand the man. “So who is my saviour?” The man asks after Kayn takes a couple moments too long to answer.

 

Kayn debates with himself if giving his name would be a wise choice, after a small inner debate he decides he’ll answer both questions. “No that is not how we learn other languages and my name is Kayn.” He finishes and looks at the man expectantly.

 

“I see, Kayn.” The man says slowly as if he is trying to see how Kayn’s name forms on his tongue. “I am Talon.”

* * *

Zed was going to kill him. If Zed didn’t kill him then Syndra was definitely going to kill him. She may not show it in the best way but she adores him. He’s not entirely sure why but he’s kind of grateful for that because she gifts him a lot of things she thinks he might be interested in.

 

His mind couldn’t stop wandering back to the kiss and the way Talon’s lips felt on his. He couldn’t help wondering if they’ll ever kiss again. He couldn’t help but realise that he wouldn’t mind if they did. He groaned internally, Zed was going to kill him and then Syndra would put him back together to kill him again. Then she’d probably put him back together again and try to fix this. Probably. Maybe not. Maybe she’d just kill him again for being stupid.

 

Kayn glanced back at Talon who was some ways behind him walking at a fairly slow pace simply taking in everything around him. He hated to admit that he loved the way Talon looked so much more alive without the monochrome surrounding him.

 

When he told Talon that he broke the barrier surrounding the spring he looked disbelieving. After staring into Kayn’s eyes and searching for any signs of deception he grabbed his hand and pulled us into the thick liquid. The trip was swift, especially with Talon leading the way. They were out before Kayn even realised what had happened.

 

Talon was the first one to leave the spring and after Kayn stepped out of it the ground seemed to swallow it up leaving no trace of it ever being there. Talon didn’t seem to care and Kayn wasn’t willing to bring it up yet.

 

Kayn shifted his hold on Rhaast and was struck by the sudden realisation that the weapon was being awfully quiet. “Is there a reason you’re holding back on me?” He questioned Rhaast at a volume that he hoped only the scythe could hear. “Holding back on you? Now why would I ever do that? I just sure do wonder how you’re going to explain this one Kayn.” Rhaast chuckled in amusement. Kayn had a feeling everyone was secretly out to get him.

* * *

 

When Kayn got back and explained everything to Zed and Syndra they had very different reactions from what he had expected. Although he had left out the kiss part from the way Syndra was grinning at him she knew that something was going on between us. Zed simply threw his hands up and let out a groan of frustration then stalked away. Kayn was sure that this wasn’t going to be the end of it but for now it was all in Syndra’s hands. Syndra simply cackled at Zed’s retreating back, when her predatory gaze landed onto Kayn, he knew he was screwed.

* * *

 

_ As soon as I had left my prison I knew. I knew my kind was long gone, there wasn’t even a trace of their energy left on this world. Not even the tiniest speck of it. They were pathetic. My people were actually pathetic. It was oddly laughable. They tried so hard to keep everything to their twisted standards of balance and even then they abandon their posts and all of their ‘hard work’. Whatever had gotten to them, whatever had tore them apart, I know they deserved it. _

 

_ I thought I would never see color ever again, that I would be stuck in the never changing prison of white, black and grey. No wind, no cold, no heat, no noise apart from what I make on my own. I’m almost surprised I didn’t go insane. Everything feels so alive. I feel alive. I haven’t felt like this since my birth. Maybe this was what I was waiting for all this time? Or maybe not. _

 

_ I can only wonder now, will I succumb to mortality or will I take his away? His. Kayn’s. There’s a small flower in between us. I hope… I hope it blooms. _


	2. The Path That Stole

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thought about the last couple of sentences in the first chapter (that was meant to be a one shot) and my hands went ahead and wrote this. Also fixed up the og one shot a little from when I wrote it at like 2am.

Talon sighed and kicked another body down the sand pit that swallowed up everything and anything you threw at it. Cleaning up after a hunt was sometimes exhausting and other times a task that made him more numb to everything than even the strongest alcohol humans could offer. He went over to the other two bodies and bent down to grab one by its back clothes but his long, low tied ponytail swished with the movement and almost dipped into the blood on the ground.

 

_He and Shieda…_

 

Talon brushed his hair away from his front and continued to drag the body towards the pit carelessly tossing it in. His pale hands were clean, not even a speck of blood on them. He patted his outfit down as if chasing away imaginary dust. His outfit was simple but covered him practically from head to toe. Mourning black. It was a color Talon hated seeing but it felt appropriate because it was not wrong.

 

_They had been very happy together but somewhere along the way something had gone wrong. Talon couldn’t see where, when or why._

 

As he was going back for the last body a small gasp had him snapping his head towards a small child who looked at him with terrified eyes with their hands over their mouth. As soon as Talon’s eyes locked with the child’s he knew they wouldn’t get away. He let the body go and started making his way over to the child, once he was right in front of them he crouched down to their level.

 

_Maybe it was because he was originally human._

 

“Have you seen anything around here little one?” Talon asked with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, these days he didn’t think it could. He watched as the child furiously shook their head in denial with tears starting to form in their eyes. “Have you seen me or heard me speak?” Talon asked in a sweet voice and the child once again shook their head in denial.

 

_Maybe there wasn’t a reason._

 

Talon slowly took one of the child’s hands from their mouth and pushed a couple of coins into it. “Then you’ll be on your way home won’t you?” Talon phrased it like a soft question but the undertone told the child that they should leave as quickly as possible.

 

_Maybe it was just meant to happen._

 

Talon watched the child hug the coins to their chest and scamper off without looking back for even a second.

 

_Everything was fine, perfect even, until the day came where Shieda lost himself. He was not the person Talon fell in love with, not the person that loved him back._

 

“You let them go.” Rhaast’s voice rumbled from behind him. “I did.” Talon replies with a barely noticeable shaky voice and turns around to glance at the floating scythe before finishing what he had started. “I thought I had fed you sufficiently?” Talon asked after watching the last body fall into the pit. “You have.” Rhaast replied as Talon took him out of the air and rested the darkin scythe on his shoulder.

 

_“I will not let you fall further Shieda.” Talon’s voice quivered as he spoke, as he pushed the blade deeper into Shieda’s heart._

 

“You know it wasn’t your fault.” Rhaast said after a couple of minutes of silence. “It was not yours either.” Talon replied and began to leave the little town in the middle of the desert completely.

 

_The warm blood trickled over his blade and his fingers. A sob ripped out of him at the choked, twisted noise that left Shieda as his eternal life was being crushed to dust._

 

“One of these days I am going to kill you.” Rhaast said casually as if he were discussing the weather. “I would like to see you try.” Talon laughed back at Rhaast. The routine back and forth since the very beginning brought a small, broken but genuine smile to Talon’s face.

 

_“Looks like it’s just you and me now.” Rhaast said sounding almost bored to Talon’s ears. “And how do I know that was not your doing?” Talon hissed at the darkin scythe through gritted teeth and eyes full of yet to be shed tears._

 

The desert wind picked up as the sun start to dip out of vision. Talon wrapped a desert scarf around his head. He could feel a storm coming and couldn’t help but welcome it in a way.

 

_“What point would it be for me to have my own vessel destroyed when I cannot take yours?” Rhaast had shot back with a strangely even tone. Talon slowly realised the darkin scythe was not as unaffected as he had first assumed._

 

Talon breathed deeply before the sandstorm reached them. As it started to whip around them he was tempted to reach his hand out to the sand and wind that could not affect him just so he could feel it all slip through his fingers but he didn’t. He wasn’t ready to let go. The dead flower in the hand he was not holding the darkin scythe in crunched as he tightened his hold on it. Not quite yet.

 

_They had been working on a way to completely separate Rhaast and Shieda from one another as well as getting rid of Shieda’s corruption. They were supposed to have time. They were supposed to have eternity._

 

The small town quietly watched as the traveler that had killed their terrorisers slowly disappeared out of view as the sand storm picked up into full force.

 

_But in the end it all fell apart like tiny grains of sand right through Talon’s fingers and he couldn’t help but let out a broken laugh at the thought._

**Author's Note:**

> Idon'tknowok. I just started writing and decided I might as well finish it in a way. Hope you enjoyed this *waves hand around* thing that I came up with on the dot. I guess I just wanted to contribute to the Kayn/Talon ship.


End file.
